How gorgeous is this limited edition brush set from Sonia Kashuk for Target?

Just for the holidays! The Sonia Kashuk limited edition brush set at Target.

Just in time for the holidays, Sonia Kashuk has a limited edition gold-toned 10 piece cosmetic brush set I believe is a must have for the beauty obsessed person on your gift list—especially if that person is you. Throughout my years of beauty obsession, I’ve used all kinds of brushes from cheap E.L.F ones to MAC to more expensive brushes. While some brushes have fallen apart completely, gotten their ferrule loosened with vigorous use, or shed more hair than a cheap shag carpet, my Sonia Kashuk brushes have always performed on point. To have the most essential brushes in a snazzy looking set is a beauty nerd’s dream. So did it live up to it? Read on…

This is a standard domed powder brush that can be used for everything from loose and pressed face powder, to highlighter powder to blush if you are so inclined. Because of its shape it allows you to apply powder to the face with a light touch. This one is comparable to the large Sephora Airbrush pro brush.

Powder Brush from the “All That Jazz” limited edition brush set by Sonia Kashuk for Target

(2) Flat-Top Blusher Brush

As described, this is a flat-top blusher brush that, in my opinion, will lay down blush more intensely than a rounded brush. Now the package labeling says this is a blusher brush and you certainly can use it that way, but my preference for this to use it to apply powder to set foundation. I own a Sonia Kashuk flat-top brush that I use to blend powder into my face after my NARS tinted moisturizer has dried down. This is my second-favorite brush in the set due to its versatility. If you want an intense layer of powder this brush gets the job done quickly.

Flat Top Brush from the “All That Jazz” limited edition brush set by Sonia Kashuk for Target

(3) Angled duo-fiber Face Brush

I am a big fan of duo-fiber brushes for cream blushes and liquid foundations. Even more so of this brush as it is cut at an angle and resembles the much more expensive Dior face brush (which retails for close to $50). The duo-fiber is best suited for the more modern blends of foundation, and I find the slant allows for a more precise application and blending.

Angled Duo-fiber brush from the “All That Jazz” limited edition brush set by Sonia Kashuk for Target

(4) Foundation Brush

This is your standard flat foundation brush with rounded edges that are slightly graduated. This type of brush is the one I use to initially apply foundation to my face and pat it around areas such as my nose and to initially cover the dark circles under my eyes. Not much difference between this brush and my MAC foundation brush.

Flat Foundation Brush from the “All That Jazz” limited edition brush set by Sonia Kashuk for Target

(5) Eye Shadow Brush

This eye shadow brush is a bit too large and fluffy to appeal to me but for a beauty beginner it provides a quick way to shade an entire eyelid in one stroke. I wish the bristles were more compact.

Eye Shadow Brush from the “All That Jazz” limited edition brush set by Sonia Kashuk for Target

(6) Blending Brush

Now this brush is appropriately large and fluffy because you would use it to blend out your eye shadow look.. It is definitely a bit larger than my beloved MAC 239 brush for blending but is more like the MAC 217 brush.

Blending brush from the “All That Jazz” limited edition brush set by Sonia Kashuk for Target

(7) Crease Brush

Let me say that as I have heavy-lidded eyes (like Penelope Cruz), this crease brush is too small for me personally. However, it is perfect for those with normal/smaller eyes compared to mine. This is the type of brush you would use to initially lay down shadow in the crease area of the eye before using a blending brush to blend.

Crease brush from the “All That Jazz” limited edition brush set by Sonia Kashuk for Target

(8) Angled duo-fiber eye brush

I use a LOT of cream eye shadows so me and duo-fiber brushes are BFFs. The fact that this brush is angled makes for more precise laying down and smoothing out cream shadow. Of course it will work fine for powdered eye shadow.

Angled duo fiber Brush from the “All That Jazz” limited edition brush set by Sonia Kashuk for Target

(9) Precision Eye Brush

This is a small pointed brush with tighter bristles that I like using to highlight the brow area and/tearduct area. It’s also great for putting that precise amount of

Precision eye Brush from the “All That Jazz” limited edition brush set by Sonia Kashuk for Target

(10) Lash/Brow Groomer

Standard lash/brow groomer. This is indispensable to me for brushimg my eyebrows up and separating my lashes when I’ve put on a little too much mascara.

Eye/Brow Groomer brush from the “All That Jazz” limited edition brush set by Sonia Kashuk for Target

Overall Impressions

The synthetic brushes are made in China of very soft synthetic fiber. All of the brushes felt very evenly balanced in my hand. Another plus for this set is that the raised gold pattern on the brushes assist with gripping the brush with better precision as compared to the smooth brushes I own. And from a purely tactile standpoint the coils around the ferrule and the raised pattern on the handle just feels good on my fingers while I use them. When it comes to usage, I’ve found the larger brushes (powder, foundation) are prone to shedding a few hairs. Given how economical this set is I’m willing to overlook it. I own an Urban Decay Good Karma foundation brush that I paid $25 and sheds something awful.

The Sonia Kasuk “All That Jazz” brush set retails for $34.99 USD. While I picked up my set at my local store, as of this writing Target is showing the set not available online for shipping but you can order online for pickup at the Target store location of your choice–subject to availability. And if you’ve got the Target RedCard you get 5% off of your purchase and free shipping to boot!

Liquid makeup foundation has always had a tough road to hoe when it comes to my super oily skin. Most begin to slide off like a Picasso painting within an hour or so and you can forget it if the temperatures and humidity soar like they do in Florida. There is only one liquid foundation I’ve found holds up quite well with my oily skin regardless of the heat and humidity and that is the Velvet Mat+ foundation by Make Up For Ever.

Make Up For Ever Velvet Mat Plus Foundation in #75 Shade

Available in 16 shades, Make Up For Ever bills this as foundation as a full-coverage, mattifying, water resistant (read: holds up to sweat). Great for combination to oily skin, this full coverage formula mattifies with a velvety finish. With a formula that is very buildable, it is also very good at concealing light blemishes when blended using a brush. I use shade #75 (Coffee–Deep skin w/ Beige undertones) of this foundation.

As i am constantly battling shiny skin, this foundation is amazing at giving me that matte look I like. FYI–I am not, nor have I ever been, down with the ‘dewy’ look. It doesn’t take a lot of product to cover the entire face and while the formula does oxidize on the face a bit, the finish is still beautiful. You can apply it with your fingers but I find using a fluid makeup brush provides a gorgeous ‘airbrushed’ finish with this foundation. As a bonus, this formula is GREAT for sensitive skins! I’ve never had an allergic reaction to this foundation. There are a few downsides to this foundation but they’ve never been dealbreakers for me. First, while is is definitely water-resistant, oily skins will need to set this formula with a powder. Even in high-humidity in Florida, this foundation holds up very well for about four hours. After that, if you’re an oily girl you will need your powder compact nearby. Unfortunately there is no sunscreen in this product so if you value your skin as I do, you will need to use some SPF on your face. My biggest peeve with this formula is that there is NO option for dark skin with red undertones. Some cosmetic companies need to realize that not all dark-skinned women have yellow to beige undertones.

While I really do like how Velvet Mat+ performs on my skin, NARS Sheer Matte foundation in New Guinea is a better color match for me. I use both foundations interchangably during the winter months. This foundation is also used a lot for bridal makeup. However if you do have super oily-skin as I do, make sure someone’s got a compact of Make Up For Ever Pro Finish powder foundation for a quick touch up. Make Up For Ever Velvet Mat+ Foundation is available exclusively at Sephora stores and Sephora.com and Make Up For Ever boutiques.

Make Up For Ever Velvet Mat Plus Foundation in #75 Shade (Ingredients)

Dark under eye circles are the bane of my existence. No matter how much sleep I get, how much water I drink, I always wake up in the morning with dark circles like a wino. So when I come across a concealer that not only conceals, but performs under a variety of circumstances, I must sing its praises. That concealer is now known as NARS Creamy Radiant Concealer.

NARS Creamy Radiant Concealer comes in ten (10) shades to match a wide range of skintones. Packaged in a slim container like their lip glosses, this creamy, buildable concealer has a doe foot applicator to aid in precise application where you need it most. According to NARS, “Enriched with hydrating, multi-action skincare benefits and light diffusing technology, it creates a softer, smoother complexion while instantly obscuring imperfections and diminishing fine lines and signs of fatigue.” Given how well this product deals with my dark circles I must agree!

Because of the red undertones in my ‘cinnamon mocha latte’ skin, I usually pick a lighter color for under my eyes and lip area and a darker tone to cover my acne scars. To test this concealer I chose Amande which is described as “medium dark with olive undertones”. From the description it seems like it wouldn’t match but indeed it does perfectly for under my eyes (to cover my acne scars I would choose the next darkest shade, Cafe). The color made quick work of banishing my dark circles and did not look overly orange against my skin tone or clash with my NARS Sheer Glow foundation in New Guinea or my Tinted Moisturizer in ‘Martinique’. The product applies smoothy and I was able to blend it easily with a separate concealer brush. The formula is indeed buildable as NARS claims it to be so whenever I felt I needed more coverage I could easily do so. NARS does make another concealer in stick form but I feel that formulation is best for covering darker patches of skin.

Me wearing NARS Creamy Radiant Concealer in Amande under my eyes with NARS Tinted Moisturizer in Martinique and Make Up For Ever ProFinish Powder in #174 (Neutral Saffron). The little creasing you see is because I rushed blending with my tinted moisturizer.

The ‘Amande’ shade of NARS Creamy Radiant Concealer.

As compared to two other concealers/highlighters I own, Make Up For Ever and YSL’s Touche Eclat in #7, NARS Creamy Radiant Concealer in Amande was a much closer skin tone match. MUFE is definitely waterproof but looked ashen compared to NARS. YSL’s Touche Eclat has a wonderful formula but the color is a bit too dark for me to use as an under eye highlighter.

At $29 for .33oz this concealer is more than a bit pricey. However, given how well it conceals my dark circles, blends perfectly with my skintone and other powders, and holds up in both subzero and 100+ degree weather, and does not give me an allergic reaction, it is more than worth the cost. This concealer’s thick formula is amazing at banishing those dark circles and keeping them at bay without creasing or melting like a Picasso painting in 100+ heat index Florida weather. After several hours of running around Disney World last July, this concealer held on very well and with a touch up of a little face powder I was back to looking danged near flawless. While MUFE’s Aqua concealer is very good under humid Florida conditions, the NARS creamy concealer gave me better coverage and a better color match for my undertones. NARS Creamy Radiant concealer retails for $28 USD is available at fine retailers including NeimanMarcus.com and Sephora.com.

Picture it—I had just got diagnosed from my doctor with a severe allergic rash around my lips due to my use of the EOS lip balm. I am allergic to petroleum, paraffin, mineral oil AND beeswax so what is a sensitive skin gal like me to do? First Aid Beauty’s products to the rescue!

First Aid Beauty products–a sensitive skin gal’s best friend

Exclusive to Sephora stores,First Aid Beauty products are billed as, “allergy-tested and free of parabens, fragrance, and harsh chemicals, and perfect for even the most sensitive skin” . For someone like me who is practically allergic to air this product line seemed custom made for me. I picked up the Ultra Repair Cream, Cream Cleanser and Lip Therapy products and over the past two months me and this troika have become BFFs in caring for my sensitive skin.

First Aid Beauty’s Ultra Repair Cream is a medium-weight cream that is a creamy white color with a trace of scent. It goes on very smooth, is almost immediately soothing and my skin absorbed it quickly. It is perfect for a quick blast of moisture if you skin is very itchy. I did try it on my peorial dermatitis around my lips and unfortunately it stung for a little while–ouch! So while it is good for moisturizing eczema-irritated skin, if you have peorial dermatitis I would advise staying away from it. This is a very nice hand cream to put on before bedtime. It isn’t as nice smelling as my L’Occitane Shea Butter hand cream but it gets the job done–especially if you have sensitive skin.

I did test a sample of the Ultra Repair Cream Concentrate which is a solid yet pliable balm with no discernable scent. A little goes a very long way to provide lasting moisture to the skin. On my peorial dermatitis the balm stung a little but the feeling went away within a minute or so. As my skin healed further the stinging sensation upon application went away but as I am sensitive to beeswax (which is in this product) it started to irritate my skin so I discontinued using it. Very disappointed as it is a very moisturizing balm to use.

First Aid Beauty’s Cream Cleanser is a pearly white cream cleanser has a trace of a scent and you only need a small bit to clean your entire face. It made quick work of dissolving my foundation, concealer and my sweatproof eye makeup but my mascara hung on a little afterwards. As gentle as it is, it did dry out my peorial dermatitis where it was uncomfortably dry but I don’t see this happening with simple ezcema. I like to use this cleanser to remove the rest of my makeup off of my face after I’ve used a makeup remover especially for eyes.

Last but definitely not least, First Aid Beauty’s Lip Therapy is my holy grail when it comes to lip balms. Free of petroleum, paraffin, mineral oil and beeswax, this yellowish creamy balm contains soothing shea butter and jojoba oil among other soothing ingredients. This balm kept my lips moisturized very nicely overnight and I was pleasantly surprised to find out it soothed my peorial dermatitis without any stinging.

The Ultra Repair Cream 2oz and Lip Therapy retail for $12 USD each while the 5oz Face Cleanser retails for $20 USD. First Aid Beauty products are sold at Sephora stores, Sephora.com, QVC.com and at FirstAidBeauty.com

I apologize, dear readers, for my prolonged absence. But trust me, this review is part of the reason why I’ve been AWOL. Why? Please do keep reading…

A few months ago when this product first came out I bought it out of sheer curiosity. It was creamy and definitely a no-no for my super oily skin. But like the good makeup addict that I am I bought it and stashed it away until the winter. Frankly I had no intentions of seriously using it.

That is, until I caught a case of peorial dermatitis from a MAC concealer AND had an allergic reaction one of those infernal EOS lip balms. It is the reason why I haven’t posted any facial shots for the past five months. And that’s a whole ‘nother blog post for a nother time…

NARS Pure Radiant Cream Foundation in New Guinea (Med/Dark5)

NARS describes this foundation as:

“New NARS Radiant Cream Compact Foundation brilliantly evens skin with a lightweight, luminous finish. Combining the supple feel of a cream foundation with the sleek ease of a portable compact, the Advanced Emulsion Technology formula may be applied wet or dry for artistic versatility. Blending seamlessly with weightless medium buildable coverage, skin feels soft and comfortable with moisture levels boosted by 80% after 12 hours, helping to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and enhancing skin’s radiance.”

My perfect shade is New Guinea (Med/Dark 5 –Dark with Red Undertone) but as usual, dark foundations for skins with blazing red undertones are not carried at the likes of Sephora. I bough mine directly from the NARS website but this color is also available at Nordstrom.com and Beauty.com.

Unlike with NARS pressed powder foundation, for this product you can purchase the foundation + sponge separately from the mirrored compact made for this product. The compact has a long mirror and vented holes in the bottom of one compartment where the foundation sponge . can sit. The product applies easily and provides sheer to medium coverage. If you have dry skin the sponge probably applies the product just fine but if you have oily skin like myself with acne scars, the sponge does okay but it’s obvious how splotchy the finish is. The best way to apply this foundation is to use a kabuki brush (preferably retractable) and buff the product onto the skin. I found this method much better for covering my acne scars than simply using the sponge (is this sponge latex free?).

Now, back to the allergic reaction. The case of peorial dermatitis that I caught had my upper lip area from my cupid’s bow to the tip of my nose itchy, irritated with scaling skin. As the skin healed I could not use my oil-free NARS foundation to cover it at all as it would dry out the skin and make things even worse. NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer did help a little but what melted into the dry, cracked skin crevices and made it look human for awhile was this foundation. It did not make my skin itchy and was quite soothing so in the end I am very glad I purchased this to have on hand. I’m much better now but I can honestly say this is a nice foundation to have if you are prone to eczema and eczema-like skin conditions on your face/neck.

I can’t say the sponge is really worth purchasing–especially if you have oily/sensitive skin. Load up your compact with disposable non-latex cosmetic wedges you can purchase from Target. Simply use one/two and toss away. Better control to apply in hard places like the nose bridge and tear duct areas of the face.

If you have very dry to normal skin this foundation is a very good value for the money. I don’t like how the compact is in the left side and when I hold the compact I tend to pop the foundation out as I’m holding it in my left hand. Wish this was on the right side instead. For oily/sensitive skin I would only use this in the winter and then only in dry patch areas. Oiler skins are better off using NARS Sheer Matte (my gold standard for oily/sensitive skin foundation) or NARS Tinted Moisturizer finished with NARS Pressed Powder Foundation.

NARS Radiant Cream Foundation in New Guinea–great for eczema-prone or peorial dermatitis-affected skin!

What I wish NARS would really do is make this same compact but with the pressed powder foundation for oily skins. Now THAT is something this beauty geek would love to have in her stash. Please, NARS? Pretty Please?

NARS Radiant Cream compact foundation refill retails for $38.00 USD for the refill and the refillable compact retails for $10USD. Both products are sold separately and available at freestanding Sephora and Sephora.com stores. Again, the New Guinea shade is available at Nordstrom.com, NARSCosmetics.com and Beauty.com

Yes, I know I’ve been gone for a looonnnggg time (and an even longer story) but I’m back and guess what I’ve brought with me? Not just a preview, but some nice picspam of the new Marc Jacobs Beauty collection that premiered at Sephora on August 9th!

Marc Jacobs Beauty has come to Sephora as of 9 August 2013!

Sephora addicts, I mean, VIB’s got the chance to purchase from a select few items for 48 hours and the two products I chose were the Magic Marc’er eyeliner and Lust for Lacquer lip vinyl in ‘Stolen Kisses’.

Standard Disclaimer > I own stock in LVMH which is the parent company of Marc Jacobs Beauty.

‘Stolen Kisses’ Lip Vinyl by Marc Jacobs Beauty – $28

Close-up of ‘Stolen Kisses’ Lip Vinyl from Marc Jacobs Beauty. Does my new digital SLR camera take great pics or what?

Me being the lip gloss junkie that I am, I picked up Stolen Kisses–a lovely deep raspberry with shimmer and a sheer finish. Reminds me of a Wet & Wild lipgloss I could barely afford when I was a high school student in the 80’s (yes, dating myself here). Wore a really nice few hours (about three) through Wawa coffee, a glass of water and tea. I reapplied it after a few hours purely because I love the tingly feel. It just feels good to put on!

However, at the $28 price tag I was a bit torn about purchasing another. My gold standard in lipgloss, Illamasqua intense lip gloss, comes in at around $20 and has more staying power and intense color. But in Marc Jacobs’ favor his lip vinyls have a little ‘paddle’ foot applicator (Illamasqua’s has a small brush) which is wonderful for gals like me who have very full lips. Now I did get a chance to see the entire lip vinyl collection in person and was pleased to find out that unlike Stolen Kisses, there are more opaque lip vinyls that literally were packed with color. Truth Or Dare and Boom Boom! are tops on my list for my next haul.

Magic Marc’er in ‘Blacquer’ – $30

Picked this calligraphy-style eyeliner pen in Blacquer. Love,love, LOVE how balanced this felt-tipped eyeliner feels in my hand to produce such a precisely lined eye it’s to die for. When I say ‘balanced’, I mean the design makes it easier to concentrate on where you want to exactly line your eyes and it is very easy to use whether you are a novice or an expert. The black is very black. One of my biggest pet peeves about black eyeliner is that most of the ones on the market are ‘off black’. This one is anything but.

If I had to buy just *one* item from the Marc Jacobs Beauty collection it would be this eyeliner. The fact this eyeliner is manufactured in Japan is not to be overlooked. Once you hold in in your hands, and see how easy it is to line your eyes, you’ll wonder what you ever did without this. On a side note, you could tuck this baby in with your folio alongside of another pen and who would know the difference but you?

For more Marc Jacobs Beauty items that have caught my eye, and some ‘in the wild’ pics I took of the collection at Sephora, beam on over to my Pinterest board. To purchase, head on over to Sephora.com, MarcJacobs.com or your freestanding Sephora store.

Looks like Make Up For Ever has a brand new foundation out and in a wide range of shades!

New for Spring 2013: Pro Finish Foundation from Make Up For Ever. FYI: The brown girl in this photo is wearing Shade #177.

Make Up For Ever’s new Pro Finish foundation looks to be direct competitor to MAC’s ubiquitous Studio Fix foundation. Available in a range of twenty-five (25) shades, it can be applied wet for a sheer finish or dry for a matte and full coverage finish. I’ve never been quite pleased with the existing powder foundation from MUFE so it is very exciting to see this new product and formula.

MUFE Pro Finish foundation on display at Sephora. And yeah, the Rouge Artiste lipsticks are great too!

I tried applying this to my bare skin in Sephora using the new tapered foundation kabuki brush. The foundation went on flawlessly and the tapered brush expertly laid the foundation down in those challenging areas of the nose bridge and eye sockets. It was very easy to blend when dry and the resulting finish was nice and matte. I believe a sponge applicator is included with the compact but if you are prone to breakouts as I am, toss the sponge and go with the foundation brush. Even with all of the swatches I’ve shown here, my ideal shade is #175. Why this color was not included in the Deep skintone sample card is beyond me. Interesting how I am #75 in the Velvet Matte formula and #175 in Pro Finish.

Definitely check out the foundation Kabuki brush. I am beyond impressed with how well it applies and blends this foundation. The bristles are soft and deliver practically mistake-proof application. This is definitely on the list to be reviewed/Florida Tested when I head to Disney World in July.

Make Up For Ever’s new Pro Finish Powder foundation is now available exclusively at Sephora stores and Sephora.com.